Governor



Jan. 11, 1949.

I l. E. COFFEY 2,459,061

eovmmon Filed Sept. 28, 1944 v 2 Shets-Shdet 2 I FlG. 7.

INVENTOR. I IRVEN E. COFFEY Patented Jan. 11, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to governors for engines,

particularly, internal combustion engines.

Governors which utilize the velocity or static pressure of mixtureentering the engine are not fully satisfactory because of variations inthe density of the atmosphere. A fiy-ball type of governor, whichcontrols a throttle valve by a mechanical connection to a rotating partof the engine, is recognized as being accurate and dependable. However,the fly-ball or other centrifugal mechanism isconsiderably morecomplicated and expensive than is justified for automotive engines.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a governing controlfor an engine throttle valve which derives its operating force from amoving part of the engine, but which is substantially less complicatedand less expensive than the inertia or centrifugal type of governor.

A more detailed object is to provide a hydraulic governor control.

Another object is to provide balancing spring means for the governorwhich is applied symmetrically to the governor supporting shaft so as toreduce friction and wear in the shaft and its bearings.

These objects and other more detailed objects hereafter appearing areattained substantially by the devices illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of an internalcombustion engine having one form of the governor applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the carburetor and governor portions ofthe latter being broken away and sectioned for clearer illustration.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the governor structure in Fig. 2, but withthe governing valve in the closed position.

Fig. 4 is a top view of the carburetor throttle body portion andgovernor, the governor being sectioned substantially on the horizontalcenter line.

Fig. 5 is a view of one of the turbine wheels of the fluid coupling.

Fig. 6 is detailed section illustrating a modi-- fied form of governorbalancing spring.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal center line section illustrating the form shownin Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a view of the driven wheel part of the fluid coupling shown inFig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic representation of the manual control feature ofthe governing valve.

Fig. 1 shows an internal combustion engine I! of the automotive typewhich is connected to drive shaft I I through the usual transmission 12.A carburetor I3 is mounted in the usual manner on the intake manifold M.A control rod l5 extends from the accelerator pedal in the drivers 7compartment to the carburetor throttle.

The lower or throttle body portion of the carburetor is provided with anexternal casing l8 into which extends one end of shaft l9 whichpivotally mounts the balanced, butterfly throttle valve 20 within thethrottle body. A pair of cylindrical extensions 2| receive coiledtension spring 22 anchored to screws 23 which are threaded in nuts 24.The arrangement is such as to permit adjustment of either spring 22 byremoval of cap 25 and the application of a screw driver to screw 23.

v A pair of cords 21 connect the inner ends of springs 22 to theopposite extremities of a crank 28 formed rigid with shaft l9. Lever 28has a pair of cam surfaces 29 which engage cords 21 in such a mannerthat the effective lever arm is reduced as the valve is closed so thatthe opening torque applied to the valve is substantially constant in anyposition thereof. The cam surfaces can be otherwise shaped to providefor the desired torque curve.

Attached to the outer face of easing I8 is a second casing 30 whichencloses a fluid coupling, including driving and driven turbines discs3i and 32 which supports stub shaft 33 and throttle shaft extension 34in bearings 35 and 36. Shaft 33 is grooved at its outer end forconnection of a. flexible shaft 38 wchich extends to and is driven bydrive shaft ll. Suitable gearing may be provided to insure the mosteffective range of operation of the fluid coupling.

Manual control of the throttle is provided by means of the one-wayconnection, illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 9, including an arm 39rigid with the end of throttle shaft l9 opposite casing l8. A lever 40is loosely pivoted about shaft l9 and is constantly urgedcounter-clockwise by a strong throttle return spring 4| so as tonormally maintain pin 42 on lever 40 against arm 39 and positively closethe throttle. Depression of the accelerator pedal by the operator movesrod ii to the left and lever 40 clockwise to release the throttle forcontrol by the governor.

In operation, balanced springs 22 tend to hold the throttle valve fullyopen. or open as far as permitted by the accelerator, whenever theengine is operating below the governed speed. When the governed speed isreached or exceeded, suflicient torque will be transmitted through thefluid coupling to overcome springs 22 and start closing of the throttle.Such closing of the throttle, in turn. results inreduction of the enginespeed and, consequently, the throttle will assume and maintain whateverposition is necessary to hold the engine at the governed speed.

In the form in Figs. 6, 'l, and 8, opening torque is applied to throttlevalve a by means of a spiral spring with its inner end secured to thethrottle shaft and its outer end anchored to a toothed plate or wormwheel 46. A worm 41 mounted tangentially of plate 45 has a kerfedextension 48 which may be rotated, upon removal of cap 48 and theapplication of a screw driver to the extension, to vary the tension ofspring 45. This form of spring, if sufficiently long, will apply asubstantially constant opening torque to the throttle in all positionsthereof.

A slightly different form of fluid coupling is used in thismodification. Driven wheel 50 has short, peripheral vanes 52 on thedriving wheel. Wheel 50 has holes 53 to facilitate circulationof thefluid.

In both forms, a quantity of a suitable liquid, such as brake fluid, ismaintained in the fluid coupling and, upon operation of the engine, thisliquid is thrown against the driven wheel to transmit closing torque tothe throttle. Sealing glands are shown at 55 and 56 for holding the oilin the easing of the coupling.

This form of governor obtains the accuracy and dependability of theinertia governor, while being substantially more simple and lessexpensive.

The invention may be modified in various respects as will occur to thoseskilled in the art and the exclusive use of all modifications as comewithin the scope of the appended claims is contemplated.

I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine, an induction conduit, a governingvalve of the butterfly type mounted in said conduit, spring meansapplied symmetrically to the valve shaft and urging said valve open, ahousing on said conduit and receiving an end of said shaft, a fluidcoupling in said housing and comprising centrifugal impeller and drivenwheels, said driven wheels being carried rigidly by said valve shaft,and an operative connection between said impeller wheel and a rotatingpart of the engine for applying closing force to said driven wheel andvalve in proportion to the speed of-the engine.

2. In an internal combustion engine, an induction conduit, a shaftjournalled in said conduit, a butterfly governing valve: mounted on saidshaft,

a lever on said shaft, a pair of springs symmetrically connected to saidlever and constantly urging said valve open, a housing receiving anentrance to said shaft, a fluid coupling in said housing including animpeller wheel and a centrifugally operated driven wheel, said drivenwheel being rigid on said shaft, and an operative connection betweensaid impeller wheel and a rotating part of the engine for applyingclosing force 51 which overlap central vanes Number 4 to said valve inproportion to the speed of the engine. a

3. In an internal combustion engine, an induction conduit, a shaftjournalled in the walls of said conduit, a. butterfly governing valve onsaid shaft, a housing mounted on said conduit and receivin an end ofsaid shaft, 3, spring in said housing and coiled about and connected tosaid shaft for applying valve opening torque thereto, a fluid couplingin said housing and including a centrifugally driven wheel rigid withsaid shaft, and an impeller wheel, and an operative connection betweensaid impeller wheel and a rotating part of the engine for applyingclosing force to said valve in proportion to the engine speed.

4. In a governor structure, a governor valve normally urged towards openposition and fluid pressure directed directly by a moving impellerelement operated by an engine against a fixed part of said valve, saidfluid pressure operated means opposing the action of the spring means toposition said valve.

5. In a governor for internal combustion engines, a governor valve,means normally tending to open said valve, and a source of fluid underpressure variable in' accordance with engine speeds, said variable fluidsupply directly impinging a fixed part of said valve to oppose saidopening movement whereby said valve is positioned directly by thepressure of said fluid.

6. In a governor for internal combustion engines, a governor valve, avalve mounting, means normally tending to open said valve, an impactplate fixed to said valve mounting, and means for directing fluid underpressure against said impact plate to move said valve towards closedposition againstthe action of said valve opening means, said fluidpressure being variable in accordance with engine speed.

7. In an engine, a, throttle, yieldable means for moving said throttletoward open position, a fluid coupling comprising a driven member and adriving member, said driven member being connected to the engine foroperation thereby and said driving member being connected to saidthrottle in such a manner as to move it towards closed position againstthe force of said yieldable means when a predetermined engine speed isexceeded.

IRVEN E. COFFEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 326,039 Duif Apr. 23, 1872 976,853 DowNov. 29, 1910 1,089,655 Loewenstein Mar. 10, 1914 1,222,984 Pharo Apr.1'1, 1917 1,265,813 Pharo May 14, 1918 1,530,740 SmoOt Mar. 24, 19252,225,206 Cassels Dec. 17, 1940 2,248,495 Dupy July 8, 1941

